Goals
by Lyn's Tactician
Summary: Sirus Birch has two things in his life: His morals and his friends. So what happens when you send him to the one place where your morals get you killed and your friends can't help you?
1. Chapter 1

**So yeah. I read these books and established that:**

**1. I loved them.**

**2. Johanna Mason is my favorite character in the freaking book world.**

**And 3. I want to try and write a decent fanfic for it. **

**The title will make sense given time, but an important point to make is that this story is NOT about Johanna Mason, though she does play a part in it. Another thing to note is that this takes place during the 73rd hunger games. So Petta and Katniss are the year after this one.**

**So here it is. Chapter one of Goals.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Hunger Games.**

**Goals**

**Chapter One: Sirus Birch**

"Go away…"

"Get up Sirus."

"No."

"Get your ass up!"

"No."

"Fine. Don't forget though, we warned you."

That's the only actual warning I receive before my so called friends have flipped the mattress on my bunk over and sent me falling to the floor. I just lie on the floor for a minute before trying to fight my way out from under my overturned mattress. Naturally, this is absolutely hilarious to my two friends as both of them are trying not to fall to the ground laughing when I escape.

"…Both of you suck."

I tell them, which only serves to add to their laughing.

"Hey. We did warn you Sirus."

Laurel tells me through her snickers. If she were anyone else, I'd say that she was pretty. Her fire red hair hangs down to her shoulders and her green eyes shine with mischief. She's wearing some old white dress that looks completely out of place on her, reaping clothes. She has more than one boy falling over her, but always from afar. The reason I say that is quite simple. Laurel isn't the girly-girl, boy-crazy type. She's the one who will knock you out for looking at her wrong and she curses like a sailor.

"Come on. It's reaping day! You know what that means!"

"We get to try and count our psycho escorts tattoos again?"

"That too, but more importantly, we're free this morning!"

She replies as though I'm supposed to be thrilled. I just stare at her for a moment until something hits me and my stare turns to a glare.

"What time is it?"

"Nine o'clock."

I reach back and grab my pillow before throwing it in her face. The reaping doesn't start until noon and it takes me about ten minutes to 'beautify' myself for it.

"And you woke me up?"

"Hey! We're bored! So get off your lazy ass and come help us move the new kids bunk outside."

"…I hate you."

"What? It's a worthy pursuit."

"More like you're looking to vent frustration since the foreman smacked your ass yesterday and you couldn't hit him."

"He's an old perverted bastard and the only reason I didn't was because I'd get in some serious trouble! Now are you going to help or not!"

She yelled at me, glaring once again. She thinks it's intimidating, and honestly it is, but I have grown immune to Laurel's glares over my four years at the District 7 community home.

"You should probably keep it down you know. If the caretaker hears you…"

Garret, my other friend slash bunkmate, started to say before Laurel cut him off.

"Don't be such a wimp Garrett."

Garrett went silent. He was the quiet one in our little trio and Laurel scared the shit out of him half the time. His brown eyes drifted to the floor and his black bangs hid his eyes from the fifteen year old girl. He was only thirteen and was still rather new to the community home, but I liked him. He made sense of our little trio. Laurel the bitch, Garret the quiet, and then there's me, Sirus the annoyed.

"Wake me in two hours."

I ordered burying myself back under my mattress, not bothering to replace it on the bunk. Laurel grabbed the mattress and replaced it with relative ease (It's not that big, or comfortable for that matter.)

"Fine. We won't torment the newb. But you better get up before the head bitch gets ahold of you. You know she hates it when someone's late for roll call."

"Her name is-"

"I don't care Garrett."

Laurel snapped at him.

"I'll see you two later."

The red-headed girl stated, hopping over my place on the floor and walking down the large line of bunks out the door.

"Don't listen to her Garrett. She's still just ticked at the foreman."

"Yeah…"

I stand up and stretch for a moment before giving him a pat on the shoulder.

"Well, we might as well get dressed. Wouldn't want Laurel to be the only one to look ridiculous, would we?"

Garrett gives a faint smile at my attempted joke, but I can tell he's nervous. I briefly wonder if I looked that pathetic on reaping day when I was thirteen.

"Let's get our uniforms."

I roll my eyes. The 'uniforms' are white tunics and black trousers, the same for every boy in the community home just as the white dress Laurel wore was standard for the girls. Garrett gave them that name on his first reaping last year and it just caught on with everyone.

"Yeah… I guess."

I shrug and retrieve my 'uniform' from the trunk by our bunks before handing Garrett his. Kicking the trunk shut behind us, I lead him down the line of bunks the massive bathrooms. Several other boys are there getting ready, but no one even spares us a glance.

"Go ahead."

I order Garrett, nodding to an open shower. Garrett nods and goes in. Maybe I baby him, but bathrooms in the community home aren't fun. On my first day when I was twelve, a group of thugs I had somehow ticked off (I don't even remember what I did, I think I bumped into one of them walking by or something equally as pointless.) cornered me in the showers and pummeled me into the ground. So I had taken to standing outside Garrett's shower stall during his second week as a sort of guard. It's no big deal as most of the time the showers are full anyway.

Garrett comes out a few minutes later and leaves to get dressed without a word as I replace him in the stall. The water is always freezing cold so most people do their best to get through showers pretty quick. I'm no different, showered in around five minutes and leaving to get dressed. The room has miraculously emptied in the time I showered. (Not that shocking considering I was practically the last one to wake up.) Roll call starts at ten but I have plenty of time, silently getting dressed and going over to the sinks.

Wiping the mirror clean with my sleeves, I stare at my reflection. Dull brown eyes, short brown hair, and a lovely scratch mark on my right cheek from where the head caretaker smacked me a bit too hard one day.

"…Well… Aren't we attractive?"

I tell the air sarcastically, idly touching the scratch mark that had yet to fully heal. After a moment of half-heartedly trying to make it look like I hadn't just woken up, I left for roll call. Roll Call is a fun little event that happens every morning on reaping day at the community home, something about making sure we all show up in case our name is called. The head caretaker goes from bunk to bunk checking names off a list while we stand at attention for a half-hour. I've taken to counting the ceiling tiles rather than paying attention. So that's what I start doing after I take my place next to mine and Garrett's bunks.

I only make it to 289 before we're dismissed to leave. I lead Garrett down to get some food while we wait for Laurel. The girl's roll call always coming after the boy's is done. We sit there in silence for a long time, but Garrett's fidgeting.

"What if I-"

"Don't."

Garrett started speaking but I stopped him, knowing exactly what he was going to say. He said the same thing last year and I told him the same thing.

"Odds are in your favor."

Garrett goes silent as Laurel finally comes to sit next to me.

"Miss me?"

"No."

"Asshole."

That is our morning greeting every day of the year. Laurel asks if we missed her, I say no, she calls me a varying curse word, and Garrett says nothing.

"What were you two talking about?"

Laurel questioned and, surprisingly, Garrett speaks up first.

"What do I do if I get picked?"

He asks worriedly. Laurel seems unconcerned as if she already had the whole thing worked out. Much to my surprise, it appears she actually _DOES_ have the whole thing worked out.

"Oh, that's easy."

Garrett looks at her expectantly and she smiles at him.

"Do you believe in the nobility of suicide?"

I don't know why that's funny. Maybe because the Capitol wouldn't let one of its tributes die before the games. Or probably because I could never see Laurel committing suicide even if she were picked, but I snort out a laugh.

"You wouldn't get away with it."

"They've never dealt with me before."

And that's the end of our conversation. None of us speak for a long time, the inadequate meal provided for us long gone by now. It's the only good thing about the community home. You're always fed, nowhere near enough to sustain you, but it's there. Time fly's by and soon they're calling for us to line up based on age and gender to leave. Technically, we could have gone out and done something with the past hour and gone to the square ourselves, but there really wasn't anything we felt like doing. I file in with the other sixteen year old boys and off we go.

I love district seven. Don't get me wrong, life here sucks and the peacekeepers are jerks, but the trees are beautiful and the scent of pine never goes away giving the air a fresh feel to it. I check in at the square and file into an area roped off for sixteen year old boys in silence. My eyes staying on the makeshift stage where the raffle will take place as I walk. I had meant what I told Garrett. Even factoring in all three of us together the odds were in favor of none of us getting picked. However, I mentally wish both of my friends luck anyway.

The reaping start at noon sharp and our crazy escort, Regina Dabble, ascends the stage right on time. Regina is freakish in appearance, bald head with tattoos all over it and her face. Most are butterflies and other insects, but a few depict hearts and other random shapes. I know that there's no way to know exactly how many there are and I briefly wonder if Regina herself even knows. Next up is our pitiful tool of a mayor whose name escapes me. It doesn't really matter anyway. Behind him are this year's two mentors, Blight Travis and Johanna Mason. I half feel sorry for whatever girl gets picked when I see Johanna; rumor says she's a total bitch. I have to contain a laugh as I think about how interesting it would be to have Johanna and Laurel in the same room together. The other district seven victors all file in after them, there aren't that many of them so it doesn't take long. The mayor goes through all the trivialities that the Capitol makes him do while I continue counting Regina's tattoos.

" Morning And Happy Hunger Games everyone! It's time to find out who our lucky tributes are this year! Good luck to you all and may the odds be _EVER_ in your favor."

Regina announces in her annoyingly high-pitched voice, making me lose focus and lose count. I briefly wish Laurel luck once more as Regina digs through the girl's ball and pulls out a piece of paper. She briskly walks to the mike and reads it.

"Alicia Redwood!"

_She's dead._

It sounds terrible, but once I got over the sense of relief at not hearing Laurel's name being called, that was the first thing I thought. Alicia Redwood was a short thirteen year old girl with brown hair and green eyes. I had seen her around town and knew her name only because her family owned the butcher shop. She was the youngest of the butcher's four children and shook as she took the stage with small steps.

"Let's hear it for our adorable little tribute!"

Regina called for applause, which amounts to mandatory clapping by everyone.

"And now for the gentleman."

Regina continued, going towards the boy's ball. I'm just wishing Garrett luck once again when she reads out a name that makes my blood go cold. The name isn't Garrett Willow. It's not some random kid I don't know. No. The name that Regina Bobble had just read out was my own.

Sirus Birch.

**And that's the first chapter. I'm satisfied with it and I hope you like it. Read and review so I can try and get better please! ^_^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! Welcome back if you're still here which I hope you are. To chapter two of Goals. Now we get to see the tearful goodbyes. Anyway, let's see how Sirus does for himself, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

**Goals**

**Chapter Two: Garrett's Token and Laurel's Goals**

All is silent in my world. I can't breathe, I can't speak, I can't think. The only thing I can do is replay Regina's voice saying my name over and over. People are looking at me now, not many, but still some. The cameras haven't found me yet, but it's just a matter of time now. My eyes shift and I catch a head of red hair from the sixteen year old girls section. Laurel. I see the look of shock on her face, but I'm still frozen, my eyes drifting. My eyes drift from Laurel, to the boys around me, up to Regina on the stage, to Blight, and then to Johanna.

Surprisingly, none of them can make me move until I see Johanna looking bored. At that moment, I see everything. I know at that moment exactly what I'm going to do, exactly how I'm going to play the game, and, hopefully, exactly how I was going to win. The cameras are training on me now so I do the exact opposite of what's expected. I let an almost cocky smirk cross my face and start up towards the stage at a casual, almost arrogant pace with my head held high. I silently climb the stage and stand next to Alicia.

I just stand there, thumbs hooked in my pockets and my smirk firmly in place. My eyes stay focused on one of the cameras as I otherwise ignore everything else until Alicia and I shake hands. She puts her sweaty palm nervously in mine and looks up at me through her bangs. Looking at her now, I can't help but notice how pathetic she looks, not in the way Johanna Mason looked, Alicia was no act. She really was just that pitiful, like Garrett, and that made her dangerous.

The two of us are eventually herded into the justice building and placed in separate rooms. As soon as the door clicks shut, I collapse onto the couch with a sigh. This is it. The hour allotted to say goodbye to your loved ones. I knew I'd only have two visitors and sure enough, Garrett walked in…alone.

"Huh? Where's Laurel?"

"She wanted to talk to you alone."

Garrett replied, he had tears in his eyes, but he was making an effort not to show them. I was grateful for that because no matter how I had appeared taking the stage, odds were that I was going to die in less than a week, and there was nothing I could really do about it either. I'd rather not have the last things we talk about be choked out through tears.

"Will you do me a favor?"

Garrett asks suddenly. I'm half-surprised at his directness before I remember we're on the clock and nod. Garrett reaches into his pocket and pulls something out. He silently grabs my hand and puts whatever he took out of his pocket into it. I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Wear it… Okay?"

Garrett asked, stepping back. I open my hand and glance down, blinking at what I see. Garrett has put a wood carving of a pine tree in my hand, there's a thin string going through a hole at the top so it can be worn as a necklace. I recognize it from somewhere… but I can't remember why.

"It was my mothers. I'd like you to hold on to it… okay?"

Garrett continued, and that was it. That was where I remember it from. Back on Garrett's first day… He was wearing this. I was thirteen when he arrived. I had only just become friends with Laurel and semi-established myself in the community home. ..

_*flashback*_

_I was lying in my bunk waiting for Laurel to come grab me so we could leave when the head caretaker came to me with a ten year old boy walking behind her_

"_This is Garrett. He's your new bunkmate. Make sure he knows the rules."_

_She ordered before walking off in a brisk manner, leaving me alone with a kid I wanted nothing to do with._

"_That's yours."_

_I grumbled nodding to his bunk. Garrett nodded and didn't say a word. Honestly, I was annoyed. It was a well-known fact that new arrivals cried for at least a week even if they would never admit it. Even I cried when I got here. However, Garrett actually exceeded my expectations. He didn't cry at all his first week, but he always wore that pine tree necklace._

_It was on his second week there that he would realize what a mistake that was. The community home is home to a group of ten kids who try and run the place. They beat kids up and even take things from them. The Caretakers let them because they don't care, and everyone else is either to scared or too indifferent, small groups are scared, large groups are left alone. _

_Anyway, I was wandering the halls with Laurel when we found Garrett surrounded by the group. It's not uncommon to find them cornering someone and standard practice is to turn and walk the other way. Laurel did this immediately only stopping when she realized I wasn't following._

"_Come on."_

_She hissed at me, but I shook my head._

"_If they see us they'll-"_

_She started, but she suddenly stopped, staring at Garrett. I already knew why because it was the exact thing I was still standing there waiting to happen. One of the punks had decided he liked Garrett's necklace so he had snatched it. Garrett hadn't stood there as most did. No. Quiet little Garrett charged forward and tackled the boy, taking the shocked punk to the ground and dazing him long enough for Garrett to snatch his necklace back. Of course his attackers jumped on him immediately, pummeling him as he clutched the necklace to his chest._

_I don't know why. Maybe I felt sorry for him. Maybe I was feeling charitable. Or maybe I was impressed that this little ten year old kid had the guts to do something that even some of the oldest kids in the community home were terrified to do. Whatever the reason, I ran forward and pulled away one of the punks before punching him in the face._

_The effect was immediate. The entire group turned on me and attacked. I was doing okay, getting a few good licks in, but there was no way I could win. It was just a matter of time. Finally, the boy I punched tackled me to the ground and, before I could do anything, wrapped his hands around my neck. I panicked. Flailing around, trying to dislodge my attacker as he obstructed my airway. I was about to lose consciousness when I saw a boot connect with the boy's face, dislodging him. I vaguely registered a head of red hair as I coughed and spluttered to breathe._

_I have no delusions. I'm strong, but I'm not vicious. The group knew that so that's why they openly attacked me in just a few seconds. However, Laurel was genuinely dangerous. She had a reputation for mouthing off and getting in fights only to come out on top most of the time. This reputation was enough to give the thugs pause just long enough for me to catch my breath before they converged on us again. The last thing I saw before I was beaten unconscious was Laurel trying to fend off four other people and losing. _

_I groaned as I woke up the next day in my bunk. As my eyes slowly opened, I vaguely registered Laurel's voice._

"_Broken nose, broken leg, two cracked rips and a broken wrist… You made out better than I did."_

_I just grunted in response and lay there._

"_I got you breakfast."_

_She told me motioning to the trunk beside my bunk._

"_I already ate mine. I'm not supposed to be out of bed yet."_

"_How bad are you?"_

_I ask. Laurel sat there thinking for a moment._

"_Broken arm, four cracked ribs, a broken leg, broken ankle, and four broken fingers."_

_She listed. I wince knowing that it's my fault._

"_Sorry."_

_ "…You shouldn't have gotten involved."_

_ There's a hint of accusation in her tone that I know I deserve, but otherwise it's very matter-of-fact._

_ "I know."_

_ "Do you? We're on their black list now."_

_ "I know."_

_ I reply more forcefully. Laurel is silent for a moment and I'm considering apologizing when she speaks._

_ "…We've got company."_

_ I painfully sit up and look to my right to find Garrett staring at us from across the room. He looks pretty good, couldn't be more that a broken arm and maybe some cracked ribs._

_ "Well… Go ahead."_

_ Laurel tells me._

_ "What?"_

_ "You know he needs a group or he's dead."_

_ "But us?"_

_ "You helped him."_

_ She shrugs. I sigh and wave Garrett over. And that is how our trio began._

_*End Flashback*_

You'd think I'd have asked him why it was so important, and I consider doing so but the peacekeepers are there to take him away so all I can manage is a nod.

"You can win! I know you can!"

Garrett yells at me before the door closes. I look down at the carving and gently rub it with my thumb. It's not really my style but I promised, and I know it's important to him so I put it on. The door opens and Laurel walks in staring at me with a blank expression. I barely notice the door click shut as I stare at her and, more importantly, her eyes.

It's what I see there that nearly makes me break. Nearly makes me burst into tears and completely ruin everything. Because there in Laurel's eyes, I see the one thing she would never let show. Tears. She knew I wasn't coming back. She knew I had no chance. She knew this was her last chance to speak to me and I knew that if she broke, I would too. We sit there in silence for a moment before I realize that she has no intention of speaking first.

"I counted 32."

I state with a weak smile. Laurel gives me a slight smile back.

"39… Regina wouldn't turn around so I could finish counting."

"…Take care of-"

"What's your plan?"

She demands suddenly. She must have deemed my shocked expression as confusion because she clarifies.

"You're nowhere near as cocky as that little act outside portrayed you… So what's your plan?"

"…Johanna Mason acted weak and she won… so maybe if I act strong enough I can…"

"You can what?"

"…I don't know. I don't know! Dammit! I just… I've got no idea what to do…"

Laurel is silent again and this time I have no plans to break it. Now that I've had time, I realize that there are about five million things that could go wrong and probably would go wrong with my plan… if you could even call it that. It was more of a stress ridden thought that seemed plausible at the time.

"…Set goals."

I turn to her, confused.

"What?"

"Set goals for yourself. It's what… what my sister said she'd do to keep things clear in her head. Set realistic goals and shoot for them one by one… its how she said she'd win."

She explained softly. I freeze up. That was the one topic neither of us touched, that neither of us dared talk about. We never spoke of what happened to our families. Never. She had just broken that taboo.

"…Your sister was a tribute?"

She nods.

"…Here's goal 1. Work out your plan."

She demands in a suddenly strong voice.

"Goal number 2. Use that plan to survive."

She continues suddenly looking fiercely up at me.

"Goal Number 3. District 7 has you for a victor this year! You got that?"

She's all but yelling at me now.

"What happened to the nobility of suicide?"

"It can go to hell. Goal 3. You fail it and I'll kill you! Understand!"

She yelled at me, grabbing the front of my shirt. I nod, more to mollify her than because I actually think I can. Then the peacekeepers come and start to drag her out.

"Three goals! Make more! Remember! You have to win!"

She screams at me as the guards drag her out, but that's not what affects me most about her visit. No… what affects me most is the strangled cry she emits just before the door closes as tears start falling from her eyes. That was the first time since I had met her that Laurel had ever cried. I fell back onto the couch and buried my face in my hands.

"Make goals huh… Goal 4… Don't cry."

I mutter and I realize that right now, that goal is going to be the hardest goal to accomplish.

**Well… There's chapter 2. Congratz on sticking around this far if you have and hope you like it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**This is it… Chapter 3. I'm kind of shocked. I haven't procrastinated with this story that much… *shrugs* Oh well. Let's find out more about our good friend Sirus and his fun filled adventures aboard a train. *Heavy Sarcasm***

**Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games!**

**Goals**

**Chapter Three: Train Rides and Trust**

I'm actually rather glad that I don't have any other visitors. It gives me time to think and, more importantly, to collect myself. I have to keep acting at the station if my plan has the slightest chance of working.

"Plan… yeah."

I mutter sarcastically, but I've already started with my façade so I may as well see it through. I've just managed to wipe all vestiges of sadness off of my face when the peacekeepers arrive to take me away. They herd me into a car with Alicia and Regina, slamming the door shut after me as though I'm going to jump out and run. Of course I wouldn't. After all, I wouldn't make it far and running would be rather detrimental to my cocky image.

I glance over at my two companions and immediately regret it. Regina is patting Alicia on the back in what I assume is a comforting gesture, but to no avail. Alicia has her face buried in her hands, muffling her sobs. I actually half-regret making fun of Regina all these years because of this. She's not all that much, but she does seem to have that basic compassion for children that I assume most members of the Capitol population lack… well… at least compassion for the young and weeping ones.

Most people merely appear to have been crying at the station, having controlled their tears before they reach the platform, but Alicia is still bawling her eyes out when we arrive. I feel like I should say something to her, something to avail her fears and comfort her. But I say nothing for two reasons: Firstly, because I can't risk breaking character now that there are cameras trailing us, and secondly because there really isn't anything I could say. So I walk boldly next to the weeping girl with my cocky little smirk and mentally promise myself to be as nice as possible to Alicia for the next few days.

_Goal 5: Be nice to Alicia._

After all, no one will be looking to be kind to her in the arena. Laurel would reprimand me for thinking like this. I have always had a soft spot for younger kids. That was one reason I helped Garrett all those years ago. In the arena, I'll have to go against that. However, for now I can simply hope that no one save Alicia is that young and, as terrible as it sounds, that someone else will kill my little district partner.

_Fourteen… Everyone Fourteen and up. You kill them with no regret._

I mentally order, though I'd rather not kill them at all, fourteen will be my mark. Those who fall short of that age… well… I hope there aren't any.

_Why am I even thinking about this? Chances are I'm not making it past the bloodbath._

But I keep my cocky smirk on all the way to the train; it's my best shot now after all. The doors shut behind us and I relax a bit.

"Well… that wasn't so bad."

I tell Alicia, giving her a smile. The little girl sniffles a bit, not acknowledging me in the least. I briefly wonder if my act intimidated her. I'm considering what I should say next, but Regina interrupts me.

"There we go. Now don't you worry dear, once we get some food in you you'll be right as rain!"

She tells Alicia in her peppy, Capitol accent. Alicia sniffles again, but she nods. Regina smiles at her and turns to lead her down the hall. I decide to like Regina, she's not evil. She's just… eccentric.

"Come along now!"

I start when she calls me and hurry after the two. Regina leads us through the train to our rooms and points out mine. I thank her and walk inside while she leads Alicia into hers.

"Dinner is in one hour!"

She calls just before my door shuts. I think about calling back, but I'm too stunned by the room I'm in. It's the most extravagant thing I've ever seen in my life. A large plush bed, several sets of drawers filled with clothes, and an endless list of buttons and gadgets. It may seem childish, but the first thing I do is jump on the bed. I had been in the community home for the last four years and those mattresses leave much to be desired. So seeing such a fancy and obviously comfortable bed was a bit exciting to me.

I lay there on the bed for what must be ten minutes before standing up and moving to fiddle with the various devices through the room. I haven't even gone through a quarter of them when someone comes to bring me to dinner. He leads me along in silence and I'm trying to figure out why anyone in their right mind would want to wear that much white when we arrive.

Johanna and Blight are sitting on one side of the table while Alicia and Regina are on the other. I plop down next to Regina as I hadn't really decided what I was going to do with my supposed mentor's yet. On one hand, I probably need to let them in on my semi-plan if I want it to have any chance of success, but on the other, dinner with Regina would probably be a bad time. She's nice, but I have very little faith in her ability to keep her mouth shut when we get to the Capitol.

Then there's the other issue. Traditionally, Blight would be my mentor and Johanna would be Alicia's. This obviously isn't ideal. Blight may be more experienced as a mentor, but Johanna would be able to help me fabricate my story and set up an actual plan. I suppose I could simply ask to switch mentors, but how am I supposed to do that without raising suspicion?

"Are you going to eat or not?"

Blight states suddenly. I blink and look around before I realize he's talking to me.

"Oh… uh… Sorry."

Johanna rolls her eyes.

"What's wrong tough guy? You're acting pretty nervous now that you're off camera."

I tense. Had I really been that transparent in my act that she's already seen through it? If that's the case then who else could know? I need to say something that won't give me away in front of Regina and Alicia, but I've got nothing. So I take a page from Laurel's book.

"How can I not be when I've got such a gorgeous young lady at the table with me?"

That's not Laurel.

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me kid, save it for the camera's."

Johanna tells me, rolling her eyes once again. I cock my head and go for the kill.

"Who's talking about you? I was referring to Regina."

That's Laurel. It may not seem like much, but most people I've met from seven think that all the capitol citizens look utterly insane. So if Johanna feels the same way, which judging by her glare she does, then where does that leave her in terms of looks?

"Smart ass."

She grumbles, kicking me under the table. I flinch, but manage to hide it pretty well. I'm honestly surprised that's all I got for that little comment. I wonder if she's containing herself so she doesn't upset Alicia, but her smirk tells me otherwise.

"Oh my… Well thank you young man, but I'm afraid you're a bit young for me."

I pale and Johanna's smirk now makes sense. My little quip has backfired on me. Johanna knew I was insulting her, but there was no reason for Regina to think of it that way. She had taken it as a compliment, and I couldn't very well tell her the truth now that I've just decided she's a relatively decent person. So I lie.

"Oh… Well that's too bad."

I tell her, eating a spoonful of soup to try and avoid talking anymore. It works rather well and conversation all but stops save for Regina's attempts at idle chatter. I reprimand myself once more for that quip. No doubt it will be all over the capitol when we get there. I resign myself to the fact that I am now going to be known as interested in older women and devour everything I can. Every bite I can get now will count for something later.

Dinner passes quickly, with both Alicia and myself stuffing our faces, and we're all eventually herded away to watch the reaping's. Alicia's squirming in her seat fearfully, but I've got my eyes trained on the screen. District one comes up first and they don't seem like anything that special. You're typical careers. Two is about the same way, but the boy seems nervous. I blink. Why would a Career be nervous? And then I remember the most fundamental thing about the reaping's. Your name is called and then you can have a volunteer take your place. This kid had the first part of this standard procedure fulfilled, but the second… not so much.

"You've got to be kidding me… There's no volunteer… IN TWO? Aren't they like supposed to be the warmongers who practically tackle each other to volunteer?"

I question, actually confused. Two always has volunteers, ALWAYS. At least in the games I've seen anyway. Regina shushes me and I go quiet as the district three reaping's play across the screen. Nothing that special there, the boy looks like he's about to pass out and the girl is hiding her face behind her thick black hair. Then there's Four, the final career district, and all I can really say is that they're careers. Nothing unusual about them that sticks out in my mind. Five is boring, but at least they're holding their heads up, trying to maintain some form of dignity rather than bursting into tears on television, though the girl looks like she's about to break down. Then they're gone and the reaping from Six pops up. Neither of them looks like they have a chance and they both look like they know it.

Then District Seven is up. I hate to say it, but I'm kind of glad that Alicia wept so much. It made me look that much bigger and confident. I blink as another potential addition to my plot comes to mind. What if I let Alicia in on my little scheme? The more pitiful she acts next to me, the better I look. A sense of guilt immediately comes over me at the thought. She's dead, she knows it, and so do I. So how can I ask her to help me? 'Hey. We both know you have no chance so how about you help me win before you die?' Yeah, that sounds really nice.

I abandon the thought and look back at the screen to catch the reaping from nine, having missed the ones from eight. The girl looks like she's no trouble, but the boy… My heart sinks. A little twelve year old boy is mounting the stage. Sure. He'll probably die off quick, but I couldn't kill him if I tried. Ten pops up with the typical pair, they usually do okay, but they aren't ones I really need to watch. Then eleven comes up and I'm tense as an intimidating looking girl gets up on stage. She had this look in her eyes that I knew all too well. Laurel had the same look in a fight. A look of utter determination. A look that clearly stated, 'I'm going to win, no if's, and's, or but's.'

I decide to commit this girl to memory. I'd be lying if I said she wasn't pretty. Tan skin from field work, black hair cascading down her back, and piercing blue eyes that peered straight through you.

_Serena…_

I commit her name to memory and glance at the boy. He's big. I don't mean big. I mean freaking HUGE. The guy stands a head above the girl and he's covered with muscles. He could probably snap a person in two with relative ease. He's got a frown on his face, but crosses his arms to seem more intimidating, not that he needs to.

I completely ignore him.

It sounds odd, but the big 'muscle man' isn't the threat of district eleven. I'm still certain that Serena will be the problem. Though smaller than her male counterpart, she still looks rather strong and that look in her eyes hasn't faltered for a moment. Then the pair is gone and there's district twelve. The coal district is notorious for its fail tributes and this year is not that different. The boy breaks down and has to be helped to the stage, while the girl forces herself up the stairs with a straight face. I lean back when the seal of Panem finally pops up and think.

_Let's see… Careers, obvious issue. Serena, she's a problem. Then the kid from nine… And Alicia…_

"Wake up moron."

I break from my thoughts when someone whacks me upside the head, HARD. No exaggeration, I fly forward off the couch and land on my face in front of the TV and I think I broke my nose in the process.

"Owwww… Freaking bitch…"

I mutter, rubbing my head. I guess I do kind of deserve it, after that comment at dinner. Even with Regina's misinterpretation, I still got off really easy. Johanna rolls her eyes at me and meanders off, motioning for Alicia to follow her. Regina has already left, no doubt looking for someone to gossip with. So here I am, alone with Blight my potential mentor.

"We'll be arriving tomorrow morning, do whatever your stylists tell you."

Scratch that, Blight just walked out with those parting words. I love how no one seems to care that Johanna just tried to give me a concussion and went on with their daily lives. I also love how Johanna's off tutoring Alicia while Blight is probably off getting hammered rather than helping me.

"Some mentors, a lazy guy and an abusive girl. Where can I go wrong?"

I mutter standing and making my way out of the room. I start back towards my designated room and quickly manage to get completely lost. I have absolutely no idea how though. I have a good sense of direction and the train consists of two directions. It's either **THAT** way or **THE OTHER** way, and miraculously, I was assigned the room that wasn't in either direction.

I'm pretty ticked off by my third trip through the train, but my pride states that I may never ask directions. I'm seriously considering sleeping on the hallway floor when I hear it. Faint whimpering noises are coming from the room to my right and I know who it is immediately. Now I have two options: First, I can go to my room which I remember to be right next to hers and pass out. Or, I can go in and try to accomplish Goal 5.

The first is the most logical since I just spent an hour roaming through the train and now I'm tired, but I pick the second. I knock softly and open the door, frowning at what I see. Alicia's buried herself in her blankets so you can't see her, but she is very obviously weeping. I sigh faintly and go over to sit on the edge of her bed. She finally takes notice of me about a minute later and fights her way out of the covers.

"What do you want?"

She snaps at me, still sniffling as she glares through her red, puffy eyes.

"I just want to talk-"

"Well I don't so go away!"

She yelled, throwing a pillow at me. I duck so it doesn't hit me and it lands forgotten across the room.

"Dang. Good arm."

I compliment, not to be mean, but because it actually might have hurt if she had hit me.

"Shut up and go away!"

She shrieks at me, burying herself in her covers again. I just sit there in silence for a moment.

"I know you're scared-"

I start, but she cuts me off.

"Obviously, everyone in Panem knows it! Not like it matters to you! I don't want to hear how sorry you are! I don't want to hear any lies like you think I could win! I-I'm going to die and nobody here cares."

She bursts into tears again and I do the only thing I can think of. I wrap my arms around her and hug her close to me as my mother had when I was young. It was comforting. It had made me feel safe, so maybe I can do the same for Alicia, at least for a little while. She sobs into my white shirt that I had yet to change out of, too exhausted to resist the gesture. We sit there for a long time as her sobs steadily turned to occasional cries, then scattered hiccups, and finally stop altogether.

I glance down and notice that the little girl has cried herself to sleep. I give a sad smile and carefully pick her up so as not to wake her. I sweep back the blankets and lay her down before tucking her in. A sad smile crosses my face once more, as I turn and leave the room, cutting the light off on my way out.

The door hadn't closed for more than two seconds before someone was speaking to me.

"And the illusion is shattered."

A distinctly female voice announces from my left. I don't turn, I know who it is.

"Not like you didn't already know it was an act."

I tell her.

"Hardest person to fool is another actor."

Johanna replies, leaning against the wall. I just shrug.

"You know, I still owe you for that comment."

"Write an IOU."

She snorts out a humorless laugh.

"Tell me something, what are you trying to accomplish with this little charade?"

"I was hoping you'd be able to help me with that."

Johanna rolls her eyes at me.

"Well, lucky for you, I talked to Blight and both of us have agreed to mentor you."

I raise an eyebrow. Having Johanna as my mentor was the original plan, and it still is, but why was she trying to switch too? And another thing, where does that leave Alicia?

"Why…?'

"Because you might get lucky and win. You know the girl has no chance-"

"That doesn't mean you should hang her out to dry like that you cruel-hearted bitch! It's your job to-"

"She asked me to."

Johanna interrupted my rant quite bluntly.

"I don't care what she- Wait, what?"

"I went to try and figure out what the she was good at, special skills, the works, but after the first question she told me to stop wasting my time and go help you."

I look at the ground. Alicia knew she wasn't going to make it out and she thought I could? Goal 5 is looking more and more important every minute.

"…You have to help her too…"

"She-"

"I don't care! She deserves your help too. Train us both."

Johanna's glaring at me now for interrupting her.

"Fine, it makes no difference to me."

She shrugs after a moment.

"But you both have to do everything we tell you, got it?"

She demands. I just nod. Johanna moves off her wall and turns to walk off.

"Oh, and watch out for that girl from Three."

I blink. The girl from three hadn't looked like much of an issue, heck she practically had 'bloodbath' tattooed on her forehead.

"But why?-"

"Just trust me. Keep an eye on her."

She orders and marches away. I stand there in the halls for a long time, pondering the girl from three as well as my new mentor. She's a bit blunt and I can see why people think she's a bitch, probably because she is one, but also… She tells you what she thinks whether you like it or not. She's honest.

_Too much honesty can be a bad thing…_

I remind myself, but I decide to make a goal anyway.

_Goal Six: Trust Johanna Mason._

I nod, satisfied with my new addition to my ever growing set of goals and walk into my room. I flop down on my bed and am asleep before I hit the mattress.

**Well. There you have it. A fun little train ride and tributes revealed. Hope you enjoyed it. ^_^**


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